characteristic features of the in-plane switching ips lcd panel technology facto

IPS (in-plane switching) is a screen technology for liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). In IPS, a layer of liquid crystals is sandwiched between two glass surfaces. The liquid crystal molecules are aligned parallel to those surfaces in predetermined directions (in-plane). The molecules are reoriented by an applied electric field, whilst remaining essentially parallel to the surfaces to produce an image. It was designed to solve the strong viewing angle dependence and low-quality color reproduction of the twisted nematic field effect (TN) matrix LCDs prevalent in the late 1980s.

The TN method was the only viable technology for active matrix TFT LCDs in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Early panels showed grayscale inversion from up to down,Vertical Alignment (VA)—that could resolve these weaknesses and were applied to large computer monitor panels.

One approach patented in 1974 was to use inter-digitated electrodes on one glass substrate only to produce an electric field essentially parallel to the glass substrates.

After thorough analysis, details of advantageous molecular arrangements were filed in Germany by Guenter Baur et al. and patented in various countries including the US on 9 January 1990.Fraunhofer Society in Freiburg, where the inventors worked, assigned these patents to Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.

Shortly thereafter, Hitachi of Japan filed patents to improve this technology. A leader in this field was Katsumi Kondo, who worked at the Hitachi Research Center.thin-film transistor array as a matrix and to avoid undesirable stray fields in between pixels.Super IPS). NEC and Hitachi became early manufacturers of active-matrix addressed LCDs based on the IPS technology. This is a milestone for implementing large-screen LCDs having acceptable visual performance for flat-panel computer monitors and television screens. In 1996, Samsung developed the optical patterning technique that enables multi-domain LCD. Multi-domain and in-plane switching subsequently remain the dominant LCD designs through 2006.

IPS technology is widely used in panels for TVs, tablet computers, and smartphones. In particular, most IBM products was marketed as CCFL backlighting, and all Apple Inc. products marketed with the label backlighting since 2010.

Most panels also support true 8-bit-per-channel colour. These improvements came at the cost of a lower response time, initially about 50 ms. IPS panels were also extremely expensive.

IPS has since been superseded by S-IPS (Super-IPS, Hitachi Ltd. in 1998), which has all the benefits of IPS technology with the addition of improved pixel refresh timing.

In this case, both linear polarizing filters P and A have their axes of transmission in the same direction. To obtain the 90 degree twisted nematic structure of the LC layer between the two glass plates without an applied electric field (OFF state), the inner surfaces of the glass plates are treated to align the bordering LC molecules at a right angle. This molecular structure is practically the same as in TN LCDs. However, the arrangement of the electrodes e1 and e2 is different. Because they are in the same plane and on a single glass plate, they generate an electric field essentially parallel to this plate. The diagram is not to scale: the LC layer is only a few micrometers thick and so is very small compared with the distance between the electrodes.

The LC molecules have a positive dielectric anisotropy and align themselves with their long axis parallel to an applied electrical field. In the OFF state (shown on the left), entering light L1 becomes linearly polarized by polarizer P. The twisted nematic LC layer rotates the polarization axis of the passing light by 90 degrees, so that ideally no light passes through polarizer A. In the ON state, a sufficient voltage is applied between electrodes and a corresponding electrical field E is generated that realigns the LC molecules as shown on the right of the diagram. Here, light L2 can pass through polarizer A.

In practice, other schemes of implementation exist with a different structure of the LC molecules – for example without any twist in the OFF state. As both electrodes are on the same substrate, they take more space than TN matrix electrodes. This also reduces contrast and brightness.

Unlike TN LCDs, IPS panels do not lighten or show tailing when touched. This is important for touch-screen devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers.

Toward the end of 2010 Samsung Electronics introduced Super PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching) with the intent of providing an alternative to the popular IPS technology which is primarily manufactured by LG Display. It is an "IPS-type" panel technology, and is very similar in performance features, specs and characteristics to LG Display"s offering. Samsung adopted PLS panels instead of AMOLED panels, because in the past AMOLED panels had difficulties in realizing full HD resolution on mobile devices. PLS technology was Samsung"s wide-viewing angle LCD technology, similar to LG Display"s IPS technology.

In 2012 AU Optronics began investment in their own IPS-type technology, dubbed AHVA. This should not be confused with their long standing AMVA technology (which is a VA-type technology). Performance and specs remained very similar to LG Display"s IPS and Samsung"s PLS offerings. The first 144 Hz compatible IPS-type panels were produced in late 2014 (used first in early 2015) by AUO, beating Samsung and LG Display to providing high refresh rate IPS-type panels.

Cross, Jason (18 March 2012). "Digital Displays Explained". TechHive. PC World. p. 4. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 19 March 2015.

"TFT Technology: Enhancing the viewing angle". Riverdi (TFT Module Manufacturer). Archived from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016. However, [twisted nematic] suffers from the phenomenon called gray scale inversion. This means that the display has one viewing side in which the image colors suddenly change after exceeding the specified viewing angle. (see image Inversion Effect) External link in |quote= (help)

tech2 News Staff (19 May 2011). "LG Announces Super High Resolution AH-IPS Displays". Firstpost.com. Archived from the original on 11 December 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2015.

Baker, Simon (30 April 2011). "Panel Technologies: TN Film, MVA, PVA and IPS Explained". Tftcentral.co.uk. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 13 January 2012.

Ivankov, Alex (1 September 2016). "Advantages and disadvantages of IPS screen technology". Version Daily. Archived from the original on 26 September 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.

"Samsung PLS improves on IPS displays like iPad"s, costs less". electronista.com. Archived from the original on 27 October 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.

When shopping for a monitor you might come across the term IPS, short for “in-plane switching” to describe a certain type of display. So what does this term mean, and what benefits does an IPS display have over alternative technologies?

There are several different types of liquid crystal displays (LCDs), all of which use LED backlighting and are often referred to as “LED-LCD” displays. IPS panels are one such implementation and were designed to improve upon early twisted nematic (TN) models that suffered from poor viewing angles and color reproduction.

The term IPS is derived from the way the crystals are arranged inside the LCD. In an IPS panel, these crystals are aligned horizontally at all times and rotate parallel (in-plane) when voltage is applied. This allows light to pass through and for an image to be displayed on-screen.

While IPS panels are superior in some ways to other types of LCD panels, they are still bound by the limitations of the technology. Notably, LCDs must block out the backlight to display black which can often result in washed out or uneven blacks.

This prevents them from reaching the inky blacks that are possible with OLED displays, which are self-emissive. Some LCD displays use full-array local dimming to improve black reproduction, but this can result in unsightly “ghosting” or “blooming” around the edges of bright objects.

While IPS is a term that was coined by LG, a similar technology called PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching) behaves in much the same way but was designed by Samsung instead. Performance is similar enough that the term IPS may be used by some to refer to a PLS type display.

IPS displays offer the widest viewing angles of any LCD technology. This makes them ideal for use in televisions and monitors that will be viewed from any angle that isn’t face-on.

These panels also offer excellent color reproduction and deep blacks. For this reason, they are often favored by artists, photographers, and video editors. Keep in mind that buying an IPS display alone won’t get you truly accurate colors and that you will need to calibrate your display if you want to rely on it for accurate creative work.

These panels are often paired with bright backlights which deliver great peak brightness in HDR content, and good performance in bright sunlight. This is particularly true in conditions where glare is a problem since wide viewing angles allow you to change the angle of the screen (by tilting a laptop, for example) without sacrificing image quality.

For gamers, IPS displays generally offer faster response times than vertical alignment (VA) type displays. While once rare, high refresh rate IPS panels are now more common and affordable than they once were.

No technology is perfect, and IPS panels are no different. While these types of display offer the best color reproduction, they can’t match the contrast ratio seen on a VA-type panel. This is why many TVs use VA panels over IPS, a decision that sacrifices viewing angles for a richer image.

IPS panels are also generally more expensive than the alternatives since they’re more expensive to manufacture. Some fast VA panels aimed at gamers may cost more, but most are cheaper than your average IPS.

Finally, IPS panels may use more power than other similar technologies like TN. They use considerably more power than OLED displays, which are the most efficient types of display currently on sale.

Learn more about how IPS, TN, and VA displays compare, and check out our best all-around monitor and best gaming monitor recommendations if you’re thinking of picking one up.

At the China International Display Industry Conference in 2018, JDI (Japan Display Inc) presented an “Introduction of JDI’s Latest Technology” speech and showed the picture below:

In this figure, the chart shows the trend of share in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display ) display technologies. JDI had a strong advantage in IPS technology because Hitachi, one of JDI main shareholders, is the company that initially developed IPS technology. Now we often see this word within display glossary or product specification. So, what is IPS?

IPS stands for In-Plane Switching. The name carries the implication of how the technology works by switching the liquid crystal molecules in only one plane.

Figure 2 (below) can help us to understand it a little better. On the left is the conventional LCD and on the right is the IPS technology LCD. The LC (Liquid Crystal molecule, same as below) in the LCD will change the direction following the electrode voltage. Conventional LCD’s LC switch with free angle including vertical and horizontal. But IPS" LC switch on horizontal plane only and the long axis of LC is always parallel to the substrate.

There is another difference in Figure 2 as well. In order to ensure the LC switching is only on one plane, the positive and negative electrodes are placed on the lower substrate. In conventional LCDs, they are placed on the on upper and lower substrate separately.

IPS is normally black without power and the light transmission is controlled by the electrode that is vertical with LC long axis. Higher voltage creates a sharper LC switching angle and thus lets more light through.

The most improvement of IPS technology is that it corrects the difference of view angle of conventional LCD screens. In Figure 3 (below), the projection size doesn"t change proportionally to the change in angle in traditional LCDs. The brightness is also not the same because of the phase delay and light transmission difference.

The LC of IPS LCD is horizontal, so the projection size is the same and there is not a brightness difference even you watch from a different direction. It is a fundamental solution to view direction differences that enlarges the viewing angle at the same time.

There are many other advantages of IPS. Some of note are the better color expression and higher contrast ratio is very high on static status because the switch angle can be controlled by voltage accurately.

Because LC is on a certain plane, the rippled area is small and it recovers quickly if the surface is pressed. For this reason, IPS LCDs have the popular name of “Hard Screen."

IPS does have some disadvantages. The Aperture Ratio is low and affects the light transmission as the positive and negative electrode both placed on the lower substrate. There is also a need for a brighter backlight and more power required for driving the LC switching.

There have been many subsequent technology developments on top of the IPS base that have different characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. The tend to have different viewing angles, brightness, contrast ratio and color saturation levels. They also come in at varying costs. Since they tend to be quite different in character, it"s important to evaluate them on their own merits and not treat them as the same technology. In a subsequent article, we will discuss some of the different technologies and some of the advantages that each bring.

If you"re looking for displays, please be sure to visit our sister site at displaymodule.com and check out the great selection of every type of display you can imagine!

If you’ve ever begun searching for a new computer screen, chances are you’ve probably come across the term IPS. It’s at this point that you may be asking yourself, what is an IPS monitor? And how do I know if an IPS monitor is right for me?

So, why is this important? A monitor’s panel technology is important because it affects what the monitor can do and for which uses it is best suited. Each of the monitor panel types listed above offer their own distinctive benefits and drawbacks.

Choosing which type of monitor panel type to buy will depend largely on your intended usage and personal preference. After all, gamers, graphic designers, and office workers all have different requirements. Specific types of displays are best suited for different usage scenarios.

The reason for this is because none of the different monitor panel types as they are today can be classified as “outstanding” for all of the attributes mentioned above.

Below we’ll take a look at how IPS, TN, and VA monitors affect screen performance and do some handy summaries of strengths, weaknesses, and best-case uses for each type of panel technology.

IPS monitors or “In-Plane Switching” monitors, leverage liquid crystals aligned in parallel to produce rich colors. IPS panels are defined by the shifting patterns of their liquid crystals. These monitors were designed to overcome the limitations of TN panels. The liquid crystal’s ability to shift horizontally creates better viewing angles.

IPS monitors continue to be the display technology of choice for users that want color accuracy and consistency. IPS monitors are really great when it comes to color performance and super-wide viewing angles. The expansive viewing angles provided by IPS monitors help to deliver outstanding color when being viewed from different angles. One major differentiator between IPS monitors and TN monitors is that colors on an IPS monitor won’t shift when being viewed at an angle as drastically as they do on a TN monitor.

IPS monitor variations include S-IPS, H-IPS, e-IPS and P-IPS, and PLS (Plane-to-Line Switching), the latter being the latest iteration. Since these variations are all quite similar, they are all collectively referred to as “IPS-type” panels. They all claim to deliver the major benefits associated with IPS monitors – great color and ultra-wide viewing angles.

When it comes to color accuracy, IPS monitors surpass the performance of TN and VA monitors with ease. While latest-gen VA technologies offer comparative performance specs, pro users still claim that IPS monitors reign supreme in this regard.

Another important characteristic of IPS monitors is that they are able to support professional color space technologies, such as Adobe RGB. This is due to the fact that IPS monitors are able to offer more displayable colors, which help improve color accuracy.

In the past, response time and contrast were the initial weakness of IPS technology. Nowadays, however, IPS monitor response times have advanced to the point where they are even capable of satisfying gamers, thus resulting in a rising popularity in IPS monitors for gaming.

With regard to gaming, some criticisms IPS monitors include more visible motion blur coming as a result of slower response times, however the impact of motion blur will vary from user to user. In fact, mixed opinions about the “drawbacks” of IPS monitor for gaming can be found all across the web. Take this excerpt from one gaming technology writer for example: “As for pixel response, opinions vary. I personally think IPS panels are quick enough for almost all gaming. If your gaming life is absolutely and exclusively about hair-trigger shooters, OK, you’ll want the fastest response, lowest latency LCD monitor. And that means TN. For the rest of us, and certainly for those who place even a modicum of importance on the visual spectacle of games, I reckon IPS is clearly the best panel technology.” Read the full article here.

IPS monitors deliver ultra-wide 178-degree vertical and horizontal viewing angles. Graphic designers, CAD engineers, pro photographers, and video editors will benefit from using an IPS monitor. Many value the color benefits of IPS monitors and tech advances have improved IPS panel speed, contrast, and resolution. IPS monitors are more attractive than ever for general desktop work as well as many types of gaming. They’re even versatile enough to be used in different monitor styles, so if you’ve ever compared an ultrawide vs. dual monitor setup or considered the benefits of curved vs. flat monitors, chances are you’ve already come into contact with an IPS panel.

TN monitors, or “Twisted Nematic” monitors, are the oldest LCD panel types around. TN panels cost less than their IPS and VA counterparts and are a popular mainstream display technology for desktop and laptop displays.

Despite their lower perceived value, TN-based displays are the panel type preferred by competitive gamers. The reason for this is because TN panels can achieve a rapid response time and the fastest refresh rates on the market (like this 240Hz eSports monitor). To this effect, TN monitors are able to reduce blurring and screen tearing in fast-paced games when compared to an IPS or VA panel.

On the flip side, however, TN panel technology tends to be ill-suited for applications that benefit from wider viewing angles, higher contrast ratios, and better color accuracy. That being said, LED technology has helped shift the perspective and today’s LED-backlit TN models offer higher brightness along with better blacks and higher contrast ratios.

The greatest constraint of TN panel technology, however, is a narrower viewing angle as TN monitors experience more color shifting than other types of panels when being viewed at an angle.

Today’s maximum possible viewing angles are 178 degrees both horizontally and vertically (178º/178º), yet TN panels are limited to viewing angles of approximately 170 degrees horizontal and 160 degrees vertical (170º /160º).

In fact, TN monitor can sometimes be easily identified by the color distortion and contrast shifting that’s visible at the edges of the screen. As screen sizes increase, this issue becomes even more apparent as reduced color performance can even begin to be seen when viewing the screen from a dead-center position.

For general-purpose use, these shifts in color and contrast are often irrelevant and fade from conscious perception. However, this color variability makes TN monitors a poor choice for color-critical work like graphic design and photo editing. Graphic designers and other color-conscious users should also avoid TN displays due to their more limited range of color display compared to the other technologies.

TN monitors are the least expensive panel technology, making them ideal for cost-conscious businesses and consumers. In addition, TN monitors enjoy unmatched popularity with competitive gamers and other users who seek rapid graphics display.

Vertical alignment (VA) panel technology was developed to improve upon the drawbacks of TN. Current VA-based monitors offer muchhigher contrast, better color reproduction, and wider viewing angles than TN panels. Variations you may see include P-MVA, S-MVA, and AMVA (Advanced MVA).

These high-end VA-type monitors rival IPS monitors as the best panel technology for professional-level color-critical applications. One of the standout features of VA technology is that it is particularly good at blocking light from the backlight when it’s not needed. This enables VA panels to display deeper blacks and static contrast ratios of up to several times higher than the other LCD technologies. The benefit of this is that VA monitors with high contrast ratios can deliver intense blacks and richer colors.

Contrast ratio is the measured difference between the darkest blacks and the brightest whites a monitor can produce. This measurement provides information about the amount of grayscale detail a monitor will deliver. The higher the contrast ratio, the more visible detail.

These monitors also provide more visible details in shadows and highlights, making them ideal for enjoying videos and movies. They’re also a good fit for games focused on rich imagery (RPG games for example) rather than rapid speed (such as FPS games).

MVA and other recent VA technologies offer the highest static contrast ratios of any panel technology. This allows for an outstanding visual experience for movie enthusiasts and other users seeking depth of detail. Higher-end, feature-rich MVA displays offer the consistent, authentic color representation needed by graphic designers and other pro users.

There is another type of panel technology that differs from the monitor types discussed above and that is OLED or “Organic Light Emitting Diode” technology. OLEDs differ from LCDs because they use positively/negatively charged ions to light up every pixel individually, while LCDs use a backlight, which can create an unwanted glow. OLEDs avoid screen glow (and create darker blacks) by not using a backlight. One of the drawbacks of OLED technology is that it is usually pricier than any of the other types of technology explained.

When it comes to choosing the right LCD panel technology, there is no single right answer. Each of the three primary technologies offers distinct strengths and weaknesses. Looking at different features and specs helps you identify which monitor best fits your needs.

With the lowest cost and fastest response times, TN monitors are great for general use and gaming. VA monitor offers a step up for general use. Maxed-out viewing angles and high contrast ratios make VA monitors great for watching movies and image-intensive gaming.

IPS monitors offer the greatest range of color-related features and remain the gold standard for photo editing and color-critical pro uses. Greater availability and lower prices make IPS monitors a great fit for anyone who values outstanding image quality.

LCD or “Liquid Crystal Display” is a type of monitor panel that embraces thin layers of liquid crystals sandwiched between two layers of filters and electrodes.

While CRT monitors used to fire electrons against glass surfaces, LCD monitors operate using backlights and liquid crystals. The LCD panel is a flat sheet of material that contains layers of filters, glass, electrodes, liquid crystals, and a backlight. Polarized light (meaning only half of it shines through) is directed towards a rectangular grid of liquid crystals and beamed through.

Liquid Crystals (LCs) are used because of their unique ability to maintain a parallel shape. Acting as both a solid and liquid, LCs are able to react quickly to changes in light patterns. The optical properties of LCs are activated by electric current, which is used to switch liquid crystals between phases. In turn, each pixel generates an RGB (red, green, blue) color based on the phase it’s in.

Note: When searching for monitors you can be sure to come across the term “LED Panel” at some point or another. An LED panel is an LCD screen with an LED – (Light Emitting Diode) – backlight. LEDs provide a brighter light source while using much less energy. They also have the ability to produce white color, in addition to traditional RGB color, and are the panel type used in HDR monitors.

Early LCD panels used passive-matrix technology and were criticized for blurry imagery. The reason for this is because quick image changes require liquid crystals to change phase quickly and passive matrix technology was limited in terms of how quickly liquid crystals could change phase.

As a result, active-matrix technology was invented and transistors (TFTs) began being used to help liquid crystals retain their charge and change phase more quickly.

Thanks to active-matrix technology, LCD monitor panels were able to change images very quickly and the technology began being used by newer LCD panels.

Ultimately, budget and feature preferences will determine the best fit for each user. Among the available monitors of each panel type there will also be a range of price points and feature sets. Additionally, overall quality may vary among manufacturers due to factors related to a display’s components, manufacturing, and design.

If you’re interested in learning more about IPS monitors, you can take a look at some of these professional monitors to see if they would be the right fit for you.

Alternatively, if you’re into gaming and are in the market for TN panel these gaming monitor options may be along the lines of what you’re looking for.

Twisted nematic effect was a breakthrough LCD technology that became dominant during the 1980s and 1990s. However, TN panels suffered from several limitations and the disadvantages of TN display technology restricted the applications of LCD.

Nonetheless, the introduction of in-plane switching or IPS during the mid 1990s and its mass popularity in mid 2000s marked another breakthrough in LCD technology. IPS display technology has expanded the application of LCD to include high-definition television and computer monitors, as well as high-resolution mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets.

This article lists down and describes the advantages and disadvantages of in-plane switching display technology, thus also discussing the strengths and limitations or drawbacks of IPS LCD panels.

One of the notable advantages of IPS LCD panels over TN panels is color reproduction that further translates into color accuracy and better image quality.

Note that a typical TN panel only has a 6-bit RGB color depth. This means that it is only capable of producing 262,144 possible colors. On the other hand, a conventional IPS has an 8-bit RGB color depth capable of producing 16.7 million possible colors.

Though another type of LCD technology called virtual alignment or VA has a similar 8-bit RGB color depth, several manufacturers have introduce high-end IPS panels with 16-bit to 24-bit RGB color depth.

Active-matrix organic light-emitting diode or AMOLED display technology is a close competitor of IPS display technology. Between the two however, IPS has better color accuracy because AMOLED panels are prone to producing images with strong or highly saturated colors.

When compared against TN panels and VA panels, as well as AMOLED panels thereby, IPS LCD panels produce more vibrant images and more realistic colors. This advantage means that in-plane switching is an ideal display option for use in multimedia consumption, as well as in color critical work such as photo editing, graphic design, and video editing.

TN panels also suffer from very limited viewing angle as demonstrated by poor off-axis image quality. The introduction of VA LCD technology tried to resolve this limitation. But VA panels suffer from color shifts when viewed from a slightly different angle.

Nonetheless, wide viewing angle is another advantage of in-plane switching over TN and VA display technologies. Typical IPS LCD panels will produce no image distortion and relatively minimal color shifts when viewed from different angles while high-end IPS panels will display consistent contrast and brightness levels under different viewing angles.

This advantage of IPS panels is made possible because the technology involves the capacity to change the physical behavior of the liquid crystal layer by making the crystal molecules respond to the electric field in parallel to the TFT. This also results in better color reproduction.

For smartphone and tablet applications, the aforementioned advantage means that these portable devices can be held in various angles and eye levels. This advantage also means that television sets or computer monitors with IPS panels offer a better visual experience than other LCD panels.

Colors and images on an IPS panel remain considerably more visible under bright outdoor lights or direct sunlight than other display technologies. This is an advantage of in-plane switching technology over TN and AMOLED display technologies.

The better color reproduction coupled with better viewing angle and backlighting make IPS usable or viewable under direct sunlight. Note that TN panels suffer from poor visibility under direct sunlight because of its limited color depth. AMOLED panels, on the other hand, have similar problems because of the inapplicability of backlighting.

Dead pixels are an inherent issue affecting different LCD technologies. The lifespan of IPS LCD panels cannot be generally compared against the lifespan of TN panels or VA panels.

However, it is important to note that TN display technology is easier to implement and thus, TN panels are easier to produce. This further translates to more manufacturers producing TN panels, thereby increasing the tendency for low manufacturing standards. Some manufacturers are also producing low-end TN panels to meet demands for cheaper LCD.

When generally compared against typical TN panels nonetheless, IPS panels might have a longer lifespan. On the other hand, the lifespan of VA panels might be comparable with IPS. Of course, it is important to remember that this is an overstatement.

Compared to AMOLED panels however, IPS panels have obvious longer lifespan. Remember that one of the notable limitations of AMOLED is its susceptibility to noticeable pixel degradation and faster screen burn-ins.

When compared to TN panels, IPS LCD panels have better contrast ratio because it has better color depth. However, VA panels and AMOLED panels have better contrast ratio than IPS panels.

Backlighting can be blocked effectively in a vertical alignment display technology. This produces deeper blacks and subsequently, higher contrast ratio compared to in-plane switching display technology.

On the other hand, AMOLED panels naturally produce deep blacks because they represent the absence of light and thus, the absence of color. This results in higher contrast ratio. Although IPS technology produces intense whites, high-end AMOLED panels can also rival typical IPS panels in this regard.

Another disadvantage of IPS panels when compared against TN panels and AMOLED panels is power consumption. In-plane switching technology consumers more power than TN or AMOLED display technologies.

Note that TN panels are suitable for battery-operated and low-powered devices. On the other hand, a typical IPS panel requires 15 percent more power than a TN panel. IPS panels also require a strong backlighting to improve display clarity unlike AMOLED panels.

This drawback means that consumer electronic devices featuring an IPS panel have more power requirements than counterpart devices equipped with TN or AMOLED panels. This affects the overall energy efficiency rating and battery life performance of a specific device.

Other disadvantages of in-plane switching technology are slow pixel response time and low refresh rate. The response time and refresh rate of IPS panels are slower and lower than TN or AMOLED panels.

Pixel response time is the duration it takes a single pixel to transition from one state to another. Refresh rate is the frequency in which the image in a display is refreshed. Slow pixel response time and low refresh rate create ghosting effects and motion blurs around a moving image. In addition, both ghosting effects and motion blurs are more straining to the eyes.

This limitation makes an IPS panel an unsuitable display option for use in fast-paced and competitive gaming. TN display technology has the faster response time and higher refresh rates among existing LCD technologies. This is the reason why some hardcore gamers still prefer TN panels to IPS or VA panels despite having poor color reproduction.

Manufacturers have produced IPS panels with better response times and refresh rates. However, these panels are more expansive than TN panels, thus making them unappealing to budget-conscious consumers.

Manufacturing IPS LCD panels is costlier than manufacturing TN panels because of the involved engineering complexity. This higher manufacturing costs results in higher prices for end consumers.

Entry-level laptops such as netbooks, as well as feature phones and budget smartphones are commonly equipped with TN panels. Devices with IPS LCD panels are relatively more expensive. Note that high-grade IPS panels are featured in top-of-the-line products with higher price tags.

Between in-plane switching and AMOLED display technologies however, both are also costly to manufacture and both IPS and AMOLED panels are commonly featured in premium products such as high-end smartphones and tablet computers.

From the aforementioned, in-planed switching display technology outperforms other LCD technologies to includw twisted nematic and vertical alignment. The strengths or advantages of IPS LCD panels center on better image production and visual performance stemming from having higher color depth, more accurate color reproduction wider viewing angle, and better visibility under direct sunlight.

Nonetheless, the drawbacks and disadvantages of IPS LCD panels make them unappealing to some extent. They are not as power efficient as TN or AMOLED panels. They are not as inexpensive or as readily accessible as TN panels as well. These disadvantages translate to the limited applications of in-plane switching technology when cost or price and power consumption are factored in.

Further readings: (1) Kim, K. H. & Song, J. K. 2009. Technical Evolution of Liquid Crystal Displays. NPG Asia Materials. 1, pp. 29-36. DOI: 10.1038/asiamat.2009.3; (2)Kim, J. J., Park, E., & Sundar, S. S. 2012. IPS vs. AMOLED: Effects of Panel Type on Smartphone Users’ Viewing and Reading Experience. In eds. Park, J., Jin, Q., Sang-soo, Y. M., & Hu, B., Human Centric Technology and Service in Smart Space. DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-5086-9_11; and (3) Aoki, N., Komura, S., Furuhashi, T., Adachi, M., Itou, O., Miyazawa, T., & Ohkura, M. 2007. Advanced IPS Technology for Mobile Applications. Journal of the Society for Information Display. 15(1), pp. 23-29. DOI: 10.1889/1.2451548.

IPS stands for in-plane switching, a type of LED (a form of LCD) display panel technology. IPS panels are characterized as having the best color and viewing angles among the other main types of display panels, TN(twisted nematic) and VA(vertical alignment). However, IPS panels are also the most expensive of the three.

When choosing a PC monitor, you may opt for an IPS panel because of its great image quality. Their best use case is professional (art, graphics et cetera) work. On the other hand, gaming monitor manufacturers tend to opt for TN panels because they"re the fastest of the three main LED panel types and are speedy. In fact, for a while it was rare to find an IPS panel with a refresh rate high enough for acceptable gaming (at least 75 Hz, although most gaming monitors offer at least 144 Hz). This is changing, but, again, comes at a premium in terms of price.

Note that some display may be labeled "IPS-level" or some other variant. This means that the panel was not made by LG and, therefore, the vendor isn"t allowed to call the display IPS. However, the technology and end results should appear the same to the naked eye.

DisplayWorst viewing angles;Worst colorViewing angles typically better than TN, worse than IPS; Good color; Best contrast;Best image depthBest viewing angles; Best color

Even if you’ve only taken a casual interest in a new monitor, it’s often impossible to tell the difference between the technologies vying for your attention, especially as they continue to evolve.

Take in-plane switching (IPS), for example. Why might you want a monitor with an IPS panel as opposed to another type of panel? To answer that, of course, you have to understand what an IPS panel monitor is — and how it differs from other monitor panel types.

Almost all monitor panels are variations of LCD technology, and in monitors with an IPS panel, a layer of liquid crystals is sandwiched between two glass surfaces. The liquid crystals are arranged parallel to the surfaces — in other words, in the same plane. When the crystals receive an electrical signal, they reorient to produce an image.

IPS panel technology first became mainstream in 1996 and has been refined ever since. Its main objectives were to offer greater off-axis coherence — so that when the screen is viewed from an angle, the colors maintain their realism — and to provide superior color fidelity.

Twisted nematic (TN) technology is what first made LCD panels both practical and affordable. TN panels block their backlighting when they’re electrically charged, but when they’re not charged they “twist” to allow light to shine through. These panels require such low voltages to operate that they can conceivably run on battery power.

TN panel monitors are the oldest and most affordable LCD-based panel monitors — which naturally makes them a popular choice. As well as being budget-friendly, TN panel monitors may also have very fast response times and refresh rates, depending on the software being used.

On the downside, TN panel monitors have relatively poor color reproduction and quite restricted viewing angles. Viewed from radically off-axis, the TN panel monitor shifts its colors to the point of inverting them.

Vertical alignment (VA) panel monitors were developed specifically to address the shortcomings of TN panel monitors. As the name suggests, they feature vertically aligned liquid crystals that “tilt” when electrically charged, letting light shine through. VA panel technology is common among curved monitors.

VA panel monitors have far more realistic color reproduction than the TN equivalent, and offer more comfortable viewing from an angle. They’re also adept at creating deep blacks, and so offer better contrast ratios.

These two technologies each have their own strengths. IPS is recognized for its color accuracy and consistency, as well as its maintained performance when viewed from an angle. Alternatively, VA panel monitors can offer superior contrast ratios and fractionally faster response times.

Color reproduction: IPS panel monitors excel here, and anyone who requires the best color accuracy and consistency really has no better option than an IPS model. Support for professional color space technologies (such as Adobe RGB) also makes them a compelling option for any work that relies on color fidelity, such as the creative industry.

Viewing angle: A viewing angle of 178 degrees, both horizontal and vertical, serves even the most demanding use cases. Anyone who needs reliable color reproduction from any angle, such as video editors, photographers and graphic designers, will reap the benefits of an IPS monitor.

Response time: In the early days of IPS, input lag was a shortcoming, which was more than enough to put off serious gamers and other users who value response time. But IPS monitors’ response times have improved, to the point that only the most intense gamers (or people who value razor-sharp response times over visual experience) will argue against IPS.

Contrast ratio: VA panel monitors are a little more accomplished at delivering deep black, and therefore are a better choice if strong contrast is a priority. IPS panels are not far behind, though.

IPS monitor panels typically serve as compact flatscreens — like Samsung’s 24-inch S40UA — while VA panels are widely adopted for curved monitors, like Samsung’s 49-inch S95UA. Both panel technologies provide numerous benefits across all use cases and industries.

From ultra-wide monitors to comfortably consolidated screens,Samsung has the perfect monitorfor your needs and budget. And you can learn more about how monitor color technology and refresh rates support your fast-paced, creative workplace in this free guide.

A type of LCD panel technology. In this type of panel, when no electric current is running through the liquid crystal cells, the cells naturally align in liquid crystal cells in a horizontal direction between two substrate panes of glass which blocks the transmission of light from the backlight. This renders the crystals opaque and results in a black display screen. When an electric current is applied, the liquid crystal cells are able rotate freely through 90° allowing light to pass through resulting in a white display screen. IPS panels have superior image quality, good contrast ratio and wide viewing angles of up to 178°. IPS panels are well suited for graphics design and other applications which require accurate and consistent color reproduction.

If you want to buy a new monitor, you might wonder what kind of display technologies I should choose. In today’s market, there are two main types of computer monitors: TFT LCD monitors & IPS monitors.

The word TFT means Thin Film Transistor. It is the technology that is used in LCD displays.  We have additional resources if you would like to learn more about what is a TFT Display. This type of LCDs is also categorically referred to as an active-matrix LCD.

These LCDs can hold back some pixels while using other pixels so the LCD screen will be using a very minimum amount of energy to function (to modify the liquid crystal molecules between two electrodes). TFT LCDs have capacitors and transistors. These two elements play a key part in ensuring that the TFT display monitor functions by using a very small amount of energy while still generating vibrant, consistent images.

Industry nomenclature: TFT LCD panels or TFT screens can also be referred to as TN (Twisted Nematic) Type TFT displays or TN panels, or TN screen technology.

IPS (in-plane-switching) technology is like an improvement on the traditional TFT LCD display module in the sense that it has the same basic structure, but has more enhanced features and more widespread usability.

These LCD screens offer vibrant color, high contrast, and clear images at wide viewing angles. At a premium price. This technology is often used in high definition screens such as in gaming or entertainment.

Both TFT display and IPS display are active-matrix displays, neither can’t emit light on their own like OLED displays and have to be used with a back-light of white bright light to generate the picture. Newer panels utilize LED backlight (light-emitting diodes) to generate their light hence utilizing less power and requiring less depth by design. Neither TFT display nor IPS display can produce color, there is a layer of RGB (red, green, blue) color filter in each LCD pixels to produce the color consumers see. If you use a magnifier to inspect your monitor, you will see RGB color in each pixel. With an on/off switch and different level of brightness RGB, we can get many colors.

Wider viewing angles are not always welcome or needed. Image you work on the airplane. The person sitting next to you always looking at your screen, it can be very uncomfortable. There are more expensive technologies to narrow the viewing angle on purpose to protect the privacy.

Winner. IPS TFT screens have around 0.3 milliseconds response time while TN TFT screens responds around 10 milliseconds which makes the latter unsuitable for gaming

Winner. the images that IPS displays create are much more pristine and original than that of the TFT screen. IPS displays do this by making the pixels function in a parallel way. Because of such placing, the pixels can reflect light in a better way, and because of that, you get a better image within the display.

As the display screen made with IPS technology is mostly wide-set, it ensures that the aspect ratio of the screen would be wider. This ensures better visibility and a more realistic viewing experience with a stable effect.

Winner. While the TFT LCD has around 15% more power consumption vs IPS LCD, IPS has a lower transmittance which forces IPS displays to consume more power via backlights. TFT LCD helps battery life.

Normally, high-end products, such as Apple Mac computer monitors and Samsung mobile phones, generally use IPS panels. Some high-end TV and mobile phones even use AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diodes) displays. This cutting edge technology provides even better color reproduction, clear image quality, better color gamut, less power consumption when compared to LCD technology.

What you need to choose is AMOLED for your TV and mobile phones instead of PMOLED. If you have budget leftover, you can also add touch screen functionality as most of the touch nowadays uses PCAP (Projective Capacitive) touch panel.

This kind of touch technology was first introduced by Steve Jobs in the first-generation iPhone. Of course, a TFT LCD display can always meet the basic needs at the most efficient price. An IPS display can make your monitor standing out.

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Responsible for performing installations and repairs (motors, starters, fuses, electrical power to machine etc.) for industrial equipment and machines in order to support the achievement of Nelson-Miller’s business goals and objectives:

• Perform highly diversified duties to install and maintain electrical apparatus on production machines and any other facility equipment (Screen Print, Punch Press, Steel Rule Die, Automated Machines, Turret, Laser Cutting Machines, etc.).

• Provide electrical emergency/unscheduled diagnostics, repairs of production equipment during production and performs scheduled electrical maintenance repairs of production equipment during machine service.

One of the most important aspects of any display you can understand is the panel technology being used. Specifications alone won’t give you the full picture of a displays performance, and we all know that manufacturers can exaggerate specs on paper to suit their marketing. With an understanding of the panel technology being used you will get a feel for the overall performance characteristics of the display and how it should perform in real terms. Our extensive panel search database helps you identify the panel technology (and manufacturer and part number where known) of many screens in the market. This article which follows will help you understand what the different panel technologies can offer you. A lot of manufacturers now list the panel technology as well in their specs, something which wasn’t included a in the past.

TN Film panels are the mostly widely used in the desktop display market and have been for many years since LCD monitors became mainstream. Smaller sized screens (15″, 17″ and 19″) are almost exclusively limited to this technology in fact and it has also extended into larger screen sizes over the last 7 years or so, now being a popular choice in the 20 – 28″ bracket as well. The TN Film panels are made by many different manufacturers, with the big names all having a share in the market (Samsung, LG.Display, AU Optronics) and being backed up by the other companies including most notably Innolux and Chunghwa Picture Tubes (CPT). You may see different generations of TN Film being discussed, but over the years the performance characteristics have remained similar overall.

TN Film has always been so widely used because it is comparatively cheap to produce panels based on this technology. As such, manufacturers have been able to keep costs of their displays down by using these panels. This is also the primary reason for the technology to be introduced into the larger screen sizes, where the production costs allow manufacturers to drive down retail costs for their screens and compete for new end-users.

The other main reason for using TN Film is that it is fundamentally a responsive technology in terms of pixel latency, something which has always been a key consideration for LCD buyers. It has long been the choice for gaming screens and response times have long been, and still are today, the lowest out of all the technologies overall. Response times typically reach a limit of around 5ms at the ISO quoted black > white > black transition, and as low as 1ms across grey to grey transitions where Response Time Compensation (overdrive) is used. TN Film has also been incorporated into true 120Hz+ refresh rate desktop displays, pairing low response times with high refresh rates for even better moving picture and gaming experiences, improved frame rates and adding 3D stereoscopic content support. Modern 120Hz+ refresh rate screens normally also support NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 and their LightBoost system which brings about another advantage for gaming. You can use the LightBoost strobed backlight system in 2D gaming to greatly reduce the perceived motion blur which is a significant benefit. Some screens even include a native blur reduction mode instead of having to rely on LightBoost ‘hacks’, providing better support for strobing backlights and improving gaming experiences when it comes to perceived motion blur. As a result, TN Film is still the choice for gamer screens because of the low response times and 120Hz+ refresh rate support.

The main problem with TN Film technology is that viewing angles are pretty restrictive, especially vertically, and this is evident by a characteristic severe darkening of the image if you look at the screen from below. Contrast and colour tone shifts can be evident with even a slight movement off-centre, and this is perhaps the main drawback in modern TN Film panels. Some TN Film panels are better than others and there have been improvements over the years to some degree, but they are still far more restrictive with fields of view than other panel technologies. The commonly quoted 170/160 viewing angles are an unfair indication of the actual real-life performance really, especially when you consider the vertical contrast shifts. Where viewing angles are quoted by a manufacturer as 160/160 or 170/160 that is a clear sign that the panel technology will be TN Film incidentally.

Movie playback is often hampered by ‘noise’ and artifacts, especially where overdrive is used. Black depth was traditionally quite poor on TN Film matrices due to the crystal alignment, however, in recent years, black depth has improved somewhat and is generally very good on modern screens, often surpassing IPS based screens and able to commonly reach contrast ratios of ~1000:1. TN Film is normally only a true 6-bit colour panel technology, but is able to offer a 16.7 million colour depth thanks to dithering and Frame Rate Control methods (6-bit + FRC). Some true 8-bit panels have become available in recent years (2014 onwards) but given the decent implementation of FRC on other 6-bit+FRC panels, the real-life difference is not something to concern yourself with too much.

Most TN Film panels are produced with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, although some larger sizes have become available with higher resolutions. A new generation of Quad HD 2560 x 1440 27″ TN Film panels emerged in 2014. We’ve also seen the introduction of 28″ Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution TN Film panels become available, and adopted in many of the lower cost “4k” models in the market. Where used, the Anti-Glare (AG) coating used on most TN Film panels is moderately grainy – not as grainy as some older IPS panel coatings, but not as light as modern IPS, VA or equivalents. Also at the time of writing there are no ultra-wide (21:9 aspect ratio) or curved format TN Film panels in production.

VA technology was first developed by Fujitsu in 1996. However the limited viewing angles were its main disadvantage, and so further investment focused on addressing this problem. It was eventually solved by dividing each pixel into domains which worked synchronously. This lead the birth of the following technologies:

MVA technology, was later developed by Fujitsu in 1998 as a compromise between TN Film and IPS technologies. On the one hand, MVA provided a full response time of 25 milliseconds (that was impossible at the time with IPS, and not easily achievable with TN), and on the other hand, MVA matrices had wide viewing angles of 160 – 170 degrees, and thus could better compete with IPS in that parameter. The viewing angles were also good in the vertical field (an area where TN panels suffer a great deal) as well as the horizontal field. MVA technology also provided high contrast ratios and good black depth, which IPS and TN Film couldn’t quite meet at the time.

In MVA panels, the crystals in the domains are oriented differently, so if one domain lets light pass through, the neighboring domain will have the crystals at an angle and will shutter the light (of course, save for the display of white color, in which case all the crystals are placed almost in parallel to the matrix plane).

As MVA developed over the years the problem became that the response times were not as good as TN film panels and was very difficult to improve. Sadly, the response time grows dramatically when there’s a smaller difference between the pixel’s initial and final states (i.e. the more common grey to grey transitions). Thus, such matrices were unsuitable for dynamic games. With the introduction of RTC and overdrive technologies, the manufacturers launched a new breed of MVA discussed in the following sections.

Premium MVA (P-MVA) panels were produced by AU Optronics, and Super MVA (S-MVA) panels by Chi Mei Optoelectronics (now Innolux) and Fujitsu from 1998 onwards. AU Optronics have since entered a more recent generation referred to as AMVA (see the next section) and S-MVA panels are rarely used in mainstream monitors nowadays. When they were launched they were able to offer improved response times across grey to grey (G2G) transitions which is a great improvement in the MVA market. While responsiveness was still not as fast as TN Film panels using similar RTC technologies, the improvement was obvious and quite drastic. This was really the first time that MVA matrices could be considered for gaming, and arrived at the time when overdrive was being more widely implemented in the market.

While some improvements have been made, the color-reproduction properties of these modern MVA technologies can still be problematic in some situations. Such panels give you vivid and bright colors, but due to the peculiarities of the domain technology many subtle color tones (dark tones often) are lost when you are looking at the screen strictly perpendicularly. When you deflect your line of sight just a little, the colors are all there again. This is a characteristic “VA panel contrast shift” (sometimes referred to as ‘black crush’ due to the loss of detail in dark colours) and some users pick up on this and might find it distracting. Thus, MVA matrices are somewhere between IPS and TN technologies as concerns color rendering and viewing angles. On the one hand, they are better than TN matrices in this respect, but on the other hand the above-described shortcoming prevents them from challenging IPS matrices, especially for colour critical work.

Traditionally MVA panels offered 8-Bit colour depth (a true 16.7 million colours) which is still common place today. We have yet to see any new breed of 10-bit capable MVA panel even using Frame Rate Control (8-bit + FRC). Black depth is a strong point of these P-MVA /S-MVA panels, being able to produce good static contrast ratios as a result of around 1000 – 1200:1 in practice. Certainly surpassing IPS matrices of the time as well as most TN Film panels. This has improved since with more recent AMVA panels to 3000 – 5000:1 (see next section).

MVA panels also offer some comparatively good movie playback with noise and artifacts quite low compared with other technologies. The application of overdrive doesn’t help in this area, but MVA panels are pretty much the only ones which haven’t suffered greatly in movie playback as a result. Many of the MVA panels are still pretty good in this area, sadly something which overdriven TN Film, IPS and PVA panels can’t offer.